Tracks covered and decayed by snowfall and rain

[Sami]

I've had a simple roadmap for the next patch update with a simple goal of "fix a dozen things, add half a dozen new things". The fixes are soon done, and new features are being worked on. One thing to mention is an addition of snowfall and rain now covering and decaying tracks. Track decay rate naturally depends on amount of snowfall or rain, and also the age of the tracks. Severe snowfall may cover fresh tracks in a hour so the weather now gets to play a greater role in tracking.

Few more fixes, few more additions to go. And then getting to build a new update. And as we can see and imagine from this example one single addition can easily include half a dozen side factors and bring up dozens of new situations to our adventuring characters.

[StefanPravda]

One note. In my area, Driikland, I notice a lot of rain/snow each daily, multiple times. Maybe you should also reduce that if you add tracks decay, which is very cool. If it rains or snows 7 times a day daily I suppose tracking will become harder than it is now.

[Sami]

One note. In my area, Driikland, I notice a lot of rain/snow each daily, multiple times. Maybe you should also reduce that if you add tracks decay, which is very cool. If it rains or snows 7 times a day daily I suppose tracking will become harder than it is now.

With that amount of snowfall and rain it's surely harder, but if there's nothing particularly wrong with the weather modelling why would we change it.

[StefanPravda]

Because tracking might become nigh to impossible if it rains/snows several times a day in some areas killing the tracks? But I am speaking too soon, let's see first how it works out.

[Sami]

Because tracking might become nigh to impossible if it rains/snows several times a day in some areas killing the tracks? But I am speaking too soon, let's see first how it works out.

Surely it might, occasionally, but many things in the (unreal) world are occasionally impossible, or require some planning. It's simply the nature of the nature, and the very essence of this very game. But well, I'm quite sure it won't be so dramatic change as it may sound now. We'll see then.

[The_Finn]

Maybe Weatherlore will be a more useful skill, as you wouldn't want to start hunting until the rain/snow storm has passed, and don't want to start hunting just prior to a storm. I like the realism. Thanks for keeping the updates coming, Sami.

[koteko]

Yeah, I like this. And agreed - Weatherlore might finally get some use

[PALU]

One thing to look out for, though: The "animal lost in forest cover" quest is painful enough as it is (or, rather, too painful), and if care isn't taken to ensure the tracks are refreshed during the time the character is fruitlessly searching through the other parts of the search area, the tracks may well be gone by the time the PC stumbles upon the right world tile (and happens to see the correct part of that tile).

Another tedious quest that may be become even worse is the robber one, where you typically find the footprints, but don't actually see the robbers themselves.

Note that I definitely like the idea of track decay itself, so it's a matter of looking out for side effects that can be foreseen.

[Sami]

One thing to look out for, though: The "animal lost in forest cover" quest is painful enough as it is (or, rather, too painful), and if care isn't taken to ensure the tracks are refreshed during the time the character is fruitlessly searching through the other parts of the search area, the tracks may well be gone by the time the PC stumbles upon the right world tile (and happens to see the correct part of that tile).

Another tedious quest that may be become even worse is the robber one, where you typically find the footprints, but don't actually see the robbers themselves.

For animals in the forest cover we'll need to add some additional logic as their movements in the forest cover is do different. Gentle adjustments though, so that it doesn't become all too fixed and gamey. Possibility to fail forest cover quest due to tracks getting lost in the snow will still exist. Weather can be taken into account with the plans of seeking the animal, as well optimizing character's travelling speed if need be.

For the robbers there will be no additional adjustments. This is the beauty of procedurally generated and organic quests. Tactics need to be changed according to how the world rolls.
Now you may need to reason if it's a good idea to go finding robbers in a blizzard or maybe it would best to do after the rains have ceased. Their footprints are renewable resource after all.